Port Cunnington Lodge & Resort

My family has been coming to Port Cunnington for over 25 years. It remains a gem in the world of resorts - quiet and rustic which is the way Muskoka was meant to be enjoyed. A real effort has been made to upgrade the food served in the dining room (we were Modified American Plan guests). The meal offerings are broad (we were there for two weeks overall), interesting and well done. The lamb was especially notable for dinner as were the home-made, fresh-baked muffins for breakfast. But it was ALL very good. I take SHARP issue with the review by Kathleen462 "Mrs". All the staff we encountered were friendly and engaging. Our balcony chairs were fine and yes, there was a coffee table. She obviously stayed there during Covid (either 2020 or, 2021) and was lucky to find a place to stay at because; ALL resorts were struggling with the (largely) moronic Covid protocols and STAFF SHORTAGES brought on by governments paying people NOT to work. Imagine, having to "carry your own bags upstairs" (just like a cottage) and having a lovely pine-lined unit to stay in (just like a cottage) with a fireplace (just like a cottage). Maybe she should instead head over to the "Disneyworld" of the nearby Deerhurst Resort where you can get central air and all the "charm" of a Soviet prison camp for the same money. Of course, she could BUY a cottage (for say $2 million) and find that it costs a LOT more than $600/night to NOT have someone to carry her bags and have to clean HER OWN coffee maker. And had she done this during Covid, she wouldn't have been able to find ANYONE to help with her dock ladder, and would still have to take her own garbage to the dump. PCL is easily one of the most beautiful lodges in the Muskokas, period. If you want rural peace and quiet, with a beautiful beach and swimming, PCL should be at the top of your list.

My parents and I spend a lovely week up at Port Cunnington at the end of august. We stayed in the Boathouse and absolutely loved it. The unit had a balcony right on the water and it was perfect for reading. The service was excellent. Ariana in the dining room was a pleasure and the food was delicious. We had the meal plan and there was so much food that we didn’t eat any of the food that we brought for lunches. My dad and I used the kayaks a couple times and that was great. Lots of shoreline to explore and cottages to admire. Everything was very clean, tidy and very well kept. We didn’t have kids with us, but the playground looked great as well. Also, there weren’t a whole lot of people there while we were, but there seemed to be enough seating options around the property that it wouldn’t have been an issue even if it was busier.

In the last year or so this place changed its manager , and its not good , or at least not nearly as good. Gone is respect for guests and a relaxed Muskoka feel and in place is much process , rules and and a disregard for guests, - and this place is not cheap. You now have to pay to make your own fire ? and book the fire pit ? - the resort used to simply have a nice stack of wood for anyone to use , and all would meet up around the fire. The water trampolines are always being repaired ? no regard for a timely fix or replacement asap. There are rules on where you can lounge / sit along with a feeling of being watched to make sure all new rules are followed. And now there is wrist bands on the lake ? really ? for what ?? someone may jump in the lake illegally ? ;-) The lawn is cut all the time , way too much, and yet overall maint / repairs is lacking. I believe much of the issues / rules stems from the the new manager, who is truly not a people person and constantly rubs many the wrong way - the whole atmosphere at the resort has changed, its too bad - help Duck ! !

Each visit I’ve had to Port Cunnington Lodge has created wonderful memories whether that’s kayaking with family, enjoying a delicious pre-fixe meal in the dining room, finishing a puzzle overlooking the lake or doing guided morning yoga on the dock - there’s something for everyone! Their water trampoline was an awesome addition this summer along with many stand-up paddle boards, pickleball and a weekly bird show. The Hudson Bay towels and linen are so soft & cottages well maintained. I can’t imagine a better resort setting to admire the night sky, have access to endless activities both on and off the water and the merits of fine dining. I look forward to returning for many years to come!

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting two years in a row and am quite impressed with the upgrades this year. The lodge has been here so incredibly long but has many comfortable modern amenities while keeping a natural and rustic feel that “going to the cottage” has. Instantly noticeable were the HBC linens, blankets and towels which are not just comfy, but iconically Canadian, which the whole family loved. It was so handy having plenty of canoes, kayaks, and Stand-up-paddlebords so the whole family could get out on the water together. A water trampoline and slides were new this year and brought out the little kid in me which was really fun! This year they added a couple of pedal boats which were nice. They now have many yard games on top of their volleyball and tennis courts, shuffle board and putting green. The wood fire pits were great option, but we went with one of the gas options with Muskoka chairs around it - no smoke to contend with. We mostly used the kitchen in our cottage for the first trip last year, but this year ended up in the dining room almost every night for dinner and mornings for breakfast. Some of us in the family are vegetarian and they always had nice veg and meat options. The staff is all incredibly kind and accommodating and had great suggestions for hikes and excursions we could do within and outside of the property. Our group was 3 couples with one infant and we had such a nice time that we’ve slotted a vacation next summer already.

Reserved a table to celebrate my 65 th birthday setting was fantastic and we were greeted shortly upon arrival. The the comedy started we ordered a couple of bottles of wine for the table. The waitress left only to come back to tell us they did not have the wines we ordered. No problem ordered two more. She left and came back only to tell us they had none of them either. At which point we told her to bring whatever she had. At that point another table of 10 arrived. I requested a Italian beer that was on the menu assuming it was actually Italian. Only to find out it was a local craft beer which was awful. Then requested canned beer again the waitress left to come back and give us a list which they actually had. The fun continues with the menu fixed price but never informed of what it was. We were informed that they had three pieces of steak left and two pork two peach cobbler’s which left me wondering what would possibly was left for the other table. Shortly to find out as they got up and left. Two short hours later we got our food served all dishes had the same sauce same vegetable which was unrecognizable. So bad it was funny. Definitely not fine dining

This meal was a huge disappointment. Was also disappointed to discover it was buffet only. Food was not of a quality for the price we paid. The boat cruise was part of our package on such a lovely historical vessel; it’s too bad the poor quality meal left a bad taste in our mouth on the return voyage.